


Well, Here's Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into!

by DixieDale



Series: The Life and Times of One Peter Newkirk [38]
Category: Clan O'Donnell - Fandom, Hogan's Heroes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 12:11:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14811155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DixieDale/pseuds/DixieDale
Summary: It all started so innocently, Andrew just engaging in one of his favorite hobbies, cloud-watching.  He'd even gotten Peter started doing it, though it hadn't been easy, Peter thinking it all just a bit childish.  Now, they were going to discover there was danger in even that most innocent of occupations.  By the time it's all over, they've experienced  more than a little embarrassment, Caeide has become more than a little pissed off, and the Old Ones stick their finger in the pie to banish a hungry immortal and protect Haven and the continued entertainment it provided them {"rather like a BBC serial, my dear, a very long running one!".}   Not to mention the generation of a heavier dose of 'afterglow' than even the norm around Haven.  Or as Peter kept insisting, "no, I just don't want to talk about it!"





	Well, Here's Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into!

**Author's Note:**

> Mythology, legend, fairy tales, mysticism . . . Along with a healthy, or rather UNHEALTHY, amount of lust. Well, everyone knew Haven was a special place, a place where just about anything could happen, and where the strangest visitors might just drop in unexpectedly; they just didn't realize how 'earthy' the tastes of some of those visitors might be.

There had been clouds in North Dakota, of course. Big fluffy ones, looking like elephants or horses or mountains or buffalo and elk. Rolling thunderclouds, in which he could conjure up scenes of buffalo hunts and great battles and wild horses running free. There had been little whispy ones, too, bringing to mind butterflies and rabbits and birds and flowers. There had even been clouds in Germany, over Stalag 13. Sometimes he could see those same rabbits or horses or sometimes elephants, but it was more of an effort; he had to really try to see them, instead of bombers and gallows and Major Hochstetter - it was scary how often HE appeared in the clouds! Well, and other things he really didn't want to see either, things that just didn't belong up there in the sky. But here? Here there were clouds that looked like sheep, and ships with sails, and whales, and dragons, and horses with wings, and all kinds of neat stuff! "This is just so neat!" he said out loud, echoing his thoughts.

"W'at is, Andrew?" Peter asked, leaning over, busy fixing the stirrups on Angie to accommodate Andrew's legs better. He glanced up at his young friend, {"'e gets so excited by everything 'e sees 'ere!"} he thought with amused fondness.

"The clouds; they have different ones here, ones I've never seen before. How can the clouds be different, Peter? I mean, I know the clouds in Germany were different, but somehow that makes sense, but these!" And he sighed in deep satisfaction as he watched what had to be a giant wolf pace across the sky, followed by little men in funny hats carrying lanterns or buckets or something.

"Can't say that I've noticed, Andrew. 'Ere, think they're about right now, come give em a try." Andrew didn't move, his eyes still fixed on the sky.

"Andrew? Come along."

The younger man turned to look with at the taller Englishman with some determination, "no, you come here," and from the tone of voice Peter knew they'd be going nowhere til Andrew got his way. He dropped the reins so Angie would stay where she was, not that he thought she'd wander off anyways, and walked over to where Andrew was now sitting on his rump in the grass.

"Well, Andrew?"

"No, down here, sit beside me," and with a sigh of aggravation, more as a matter of habit than anything else, and from the slight grin he received at the sound Andrew knew that quite well, he searched the ground with his eyes carefully before lowering himself into position next to Andrew. Andrew had snickered a bit at his hesitation and perusal of the grass, but they both knew that on Haven, you did that automatically; I mean, with horses, sheep, goats, cats, chickens, ducks, turkeys, pigs, their own Estelle, and the assorted wildlife, you had to be a bit careful where you plopped yourself down!

"Alright, Andrew, I'm 'ere, sitting on my arse in the bloody grass along with who knows what! The question is, why am I 'ere?"

"Lean back. Now look, there, see! See her?"

Peter looked upward, then over to Andrew, shaking his dark head. "Andrew, did you get too much sun? See WHO??!"

Andrew gave his own sigh of aggravation, "you aren't looking, Peter. There. . ." And he proceeded to patiently point out the giant wolf, who seemed to wait just as patiently til the two men had looked their fill before moving out of sight. Peter blinked rapidly; why had he just seen that, so clearly, once Andrew had pointed it out?

"Look, Peter, see, just coming across. Can you tell . . .!"

And Peter could see the vague outline, but couldn't make sense of it, not quite. "Tell me, Andrew, 'elp me see it properly," he asked, humoring him, but not entirely. Part of him wanted to see whatever was up there, to feel the wonder Andrew obviously felt. And Andrew traced the lines with his fingers, with his words, helped Peter see the image above.

Peter frowned, "and that one? Looks a bit like a big 'orse with wings."

Andrew grinned from ear to ear, "YES! I think it's a Pegasus. Sometimes I see a Hippogriff, which looks kinda like that, but with the head more like an eagle. I never saw any of those back in North Dakota!" He looked over at his best friend, his love, and the grin now had a deeply satisfied look to it. Peter was leaning back even farther, a slight frown of concentration on his face, watching the sky.

"Lay back," Andrew urged, "you can see even more then," and without objection his friend slid down on his back, his knees bent, hands behind his head, watching the sky and the clouds rolling across it. Andrew joined him, their shoulders touching, and watched. Sometimes they'd discuss what they were seeing, but mostly they just watched.

She found them like that, still in Angie's pasture where they'd gone to give Andrew another riding lesson. She still found it a wonderment that for all his city upbringing, once he regained his strength and mobility Peter had been found to have a positive talent for dealing with the horses, and had become quite a proficient horseman. She looked at them now, laying in the sweet grass, on their backs in the sunshine, sound asleep.

She wondered more than a little what had possessed Peter to do that, him always remarking about the wide assortment of unpleasant things just lurking in that grass, suggesting one time, "'ave you considered nappies for the bloody beasts??!" And she had laughed at the vision that appeared in her head, all her horses, and sheep and chickens and all the rest, running around in diapers. She remembered telling him, "I'd be willing to give it a try, Peter, if YOU do the changing and laundering!" which of course brought the discussion to a hilarious ending. Now, though, here he was, sound asleep in that very same grass. 

But she knew, and with a smile focused on the smaller brown haired man sleeping beside him, shoulders touching, heads leaning against each other. {"Andrew . . ."}. And she shook her head and chuckled at the things the young man seemed to manage to get their Peter to do, frequently to his own bewilderment and under severe protest. {"I wonder . . ."} and she looked upwards, to see the clouds, the endless stream of pictures and images that Haven seemed to provide. {"Manticore, I think, edging out from a grove of trees. Sorry they're missing that one; it doesn't show so very often,"} and she smiled down at them. She walked quietly over to the patient mare standing guard over them, and in a whisper, "come along, Angie. No sense you standing around with a saddle on while those two take a doze," and she led the mare back to the barn and got her tack off and set her free to wander. She wasn't surprised to see the mare head straight back to where she'd been; the mare was entranced with Andrew, had been from that first meeting, when they'd exchanged cheek kisses to their mutual joy.

She looked up at the sky, {"sea serpent, with a mermaid riding; I don't know that I've seen that one before,"} wondering if Andrew's presence had drawn it from wherever it had been hiding, wondering how many new ones would appear, coaxed by the young man's ability to see wonder in everything he came across. Haven had always responded well to those who could truly appreciate all it offered. Caeide smiled again, and left them to drowse for another little bit, before she reluctantly woke them to come in for the noonday meal.

A few weeks later:

Caeide:  
I felt the disturbance, something approaching Haven, something to perhaps be wary of. Well, it was hardly the first time. Haven was a more magical place than most, and while that could be, in fact most times was a good thing, sometimes things showed up that were perhaps less well-intentioned than others. Most things of that sort, though, would come close, take a look around, feel the protections the Clan had reinforced for so many, many years, and decide to go on their way, peacefully. Maybe they were occasionally tempted to try those protections, but in almost all cases, wisdom bore out and they departed on their own. Almost all of the time, not always. While I never ignored the disturbances, I didn't let them panic me; after all, this was Haven, and Haven had its own protections, and I'm pretty good at protecting my own, as well. But then, Haven hasn't experienced everything, and some things, well, some things are just a bit different. 

Souren:  
So, perhaps it wasn't the wisest of decisions, but, damn it, I was hungry! It had been a long time, you know! There I was, floating around from place to place, just a wisp of clouds outlining my rather glorious (if I might say so myself) shape, never being able to collect enough energy to actually manifest into a solid form, and all of a sudden, when moving from the dreadfully boring sky overlooking the ocean, all of a sudden there was a whole treasure trove of energy beneath me! Enough that I could actually SEE what was beneath me, not just sense it, something lost to me when I lost so much of my essence. But now I could see, and feel, and I relished that, because below me? Energy, rich and abundant, and the most luscious male temptation I'd beheld in many a century. Before standing there, so smug, passing judgement, tell me, just how would YOU have reacted??! Oh, yes, I'm sure! YOU would have just glided on, serenely, never thinking about grabbing a quick bite, the first in centuries. Of course you would have! HMMPH! 

What? Me? Why, I'm an Empusa, of course. A demi-goddess, you know, daughter of Hecate and Mormo. What did you think I was? You mean the one bronze leg, the other like that of a mule, the total absence of clothing, and the flaming hair wasn't a clue? You really aren't too bright, are you?

Andrew:  
I'd never seen anything like it, and I've seen a lot of clouds, back in North Dakota and in Germany and especially since I got here to Haven. Here, watching the clouds, seeing all the wonderful things they showed me, that was one of my favorite things to do when I had spare time. Not that there was a whole lot of that, it's a pretty busy place, but that's the neat thing about cloud-watching; you didn't have to gather a bunch of supplies, or get dressed special or have a whole bunch of time; you just tilted your head back and, well, watched. Unless you were indoors of course. As a hobby, it's got a lot going for it. Now, of course, I'm a little bit more careful; seems I didn't know just how real clouds could get sometimes.

Peter:  
Andrew and all 'is bloody cloud-watching! Now, don't get me wrong; it IS interesting just what you can see up there, things I never thought to see. Well, to be 'onest, which I can be on occasion, I'd never taken the time to look; never seemed any point. I mean, back 'ome, the coal tars blocked out the sky most times anyway, and even if they didn't, going around 'ead in the clouds, so to speak, was a good way to get your throat cut; and at camp, well, I was too busy watching out for the bleedin' krauts to go watching the sky much But when Andrew makes up 'is mind for you to do something, you're gonna end up doing it, no matter 'ow foolish it might be. You might as well just get used to that; lord knows I'VE 'ad to get used to it. The things 'e's talked me into, well, you'd never believe the lot! So, when 'e decided I just 'ad to take up cloud-watching WITH 'im, I never really 'ad a choice. And it wasn't so bad, kind of fascinating at times, the things that went rolling across those skies over 'aven.

Still, never thought 'is cloud-watching would see me prancing bare-arsed naked across a field in broad daylight, wading through grass with who knows what the bloody 'ell is in it (what with all the 'orses, cows, sheep, goats, well, you get my meaning). Along with doing some other things that I just don't want to talk about, thank you kindly. No, I mean it, I really don't want to talk about it. Still, that's what 'appened, me and Andrew too; all because of 'is bloody cloud-watching!

Caeide:  
You know that feeling you get sometimes, like someone's looking over your shoulder? Well, that feeling was there, strong, and just wouldn't go away. Not all the time, of course, just when the lads, my lads were with me. Peter and Andrew, you know. When I was by myself, or with Maude and Marisol, I didn't get that feeling very much, sometimes just a touch, like someone was just making sure where I was. But when I was with them, whether just sitting together, looking after the stock, or when we were, well . . . Especially then!

I was starting to get more than a little nervous. We don't get strangers here often, and anyway, it didn't quite feel like someone watching; it felt more like some THING watching. If I'd been up in the cliffs, I'd have been on the lookout for a wild boar, or maybe a wild dog or something of that sort, but not even quite like THAT, you know? No, of course you don't; how could you? Except, Haven has a history, and things can happen here that possibly couldn't happen anywhere else. It's important to remember that; it could be worth your life if you FORGET that.

Souren:  
SHE wasn't of interest to me, her or the other two women, of course. Never had a taste for other females, not in any way. But the other two? The men?? Oh my goodness! Strong, virile, in their prime - they made my mouth water! Well, forgive me! A little judgmental, aren't you?? I told you, it's been a long time and I was hungry, and in more than one respect. Of course, that's always been the way for me. Love em and eat em, that's me. Can't change what you are, are meant to be, you know. Honestly, after all this time, I would have probably decided to indulge even if they had both been old and wrinkled and covered in warts; that's how bad it was! But these two, oh my! Both had been warriors; you could tell by the scars. Both still were warriors at heart, that was obvious too. There's just something about a man of action, you know, a certain vigor, a certain flavor. I was actually having to be careful not to drool; that is so unattractive, you know. 

So I watched, carefully, and as I watched, my hunger grew, which I have to tell you I wouldn't have thought was possible! But seeing them with her, BOTH with her, so open, so unashamed, seeing them with each other, I caught myself moaning with lust and need. Once I saw her frown and turn her head toward where I was hiding, and I knew I'd have to be more careful; it was obvious she had heard me, maybe even caught just a glimpse. Well, I didn't worry too much about it; one greedy little human bitch, thinking to keep these two ever so choice morsels to herself; who was she to stand in my way? Unfortunately, you see, I'd never passed that way before, or I might have been a bit more cautious. Oh, well, live and learn, as they say.

Andrew:  
It was a really unusual cloud. I mean, I've seen women in the clouds before, sometimes angels or fairies, lots of times mermaids, some of them riding on sea serpents or dolphins or things like that, probably cause we're so close to the ocean and all. This one, though, she seemed more real, and there was something really strange about her. Besides her not wearing any clothes, I mean; though, that does tend to get your attention, especially if you're a guy. But her legs didn't quite match. It wasn't like with the mermaids, where they just don't HAVE any, or like with the centaurs I'd see sometimes, where there are four of them; she had just the two, but they seemed different somehow.

Well, most of the clouds you'd see every now and then, but this one, I started seeing it every day, sometimes several times a day, and it seemed like it kept getting closer, close enough I could see she was smiling at me. I pointed her out to Peter, and while he laughed at me to begin with, soon he started seeing her all on his own, and we'd laugh at each other, at the way we'd just stop and stare when she'd show up. Then, she started motioning to us with her hands, waving us closer, to follow her. And sometimes, we'd find ourselves a full field away from where we were supposed to be, wondering how we'd gotten there. And sometimes . . . well, I think I'll let Peter tell you about that!

Peter:  
Bloody 'ell! You'd 'ave thought we were back in Germany, at the camp! I could understand conjouring up naked females back there, us 'aving a serious absence of the real ones around. But 'ere? Ain't like we're going dry, Andrew or me neither! Fact is . . . Well, never mind, let's just say we're not going wanting, and probably couldn't 'andle any more liveliness if it were to walk up and present itself on a silver platter. Not that we'd want to anyway, being quite 'appy the way things are, but just saying. I mean, there's only so much a man, any man, 'as to offer, you know? And that feeling of being watched, that tends to put a bit of a damper on the ole enthusiasm, wondering just who it is who 'as their eyes on you and what you're doing. Indoors or out, that feeling just kept getting stronger.

And the wandering? Well, I'd become accustomed to that with Andrew and Caeide, but this was different. Kept ending up nowhere near where I was supposed to be, sometimes just me, sometimes me and Andrew. And now, that feeling of someone touching, stroking, unbuttoning my clothes, that was more than a bit off. Not that I mind all that in general, you understand; both Caeide and Andrew are right dab 'ands at that, and I've never found a reason to complain, but generally I like to SEE, or at least KNOW who's doing the touching and such. And while 'aven don't get a lot of passersby, and the villagers and the others know to stay away, still, I didn't much like coming to my senses stark naked in that old flax field, not 'aving a clue about where my clothes were! Any idea 'ow embarrassing it was to try and explain THAT back at the 'ouse??!

Caeide:  
They finally told me, what had been happening, what they were seeing, and my Clan temper almost got out of hand! Well, they pretty much HAD to tell me when Peter showed up totally without clothes, just a horse blanket he'd snaffled out of the barn, and having no idea where he'd lost them. No, he wasn't lying to me; I can almost always tell when he is, always could, and if nothing else, he'd certainly have been able to come up with a much more believable story than, "I was moving the sheep from the east pasture, then all of a sudden I was in that old flax field and, well, my clothes weren't!"

Andrew flushed bright red at that, and at our insistence, confessed the same thing had happened to him the day before, but HE'D had a spare set in the tack room he was able to scurry into before anyone saw him. We all just looked at him, dumbstruck. "And you didn't think of maybe mentioning that, Andrew?" only got a wide-eyed shake of the head. Our Andrew is quite intelligent, in some ways a genius; just, sometimes . . . 

Somehow, I think there might have been more to it than just losing their clothes, but they both said they didn't actually remember more, just had the feeling of, well, shall we say, 'afterglow'? Well, my lads get all the bloody 'afterglow' they need, between the three of us, in my own opinion; I'm often surprised they don't light up like a bloody lantern from all the 'afterglow'! I truly didn't like the idea of anyone, anything else trying to work their way into the mix. Yes, I know, I'm the jealous type where my lads are concerned; I'm also the protective type, and the number of beings who were known to play such games were just too numerous, and some less benign than others.

I sat them down and asked them to think of anything unusual, and bless them both, they thought to tell me of that odd cloud formation. Peter's hands were doing better than usual, and I sat him down with sketchpad and coloured pencils to give it a try, sketching it out, I mean. When he finished, I thought I'd pass out! Empusa! Here, at Haven??

Then my anger grew and raged at she who lusted after my lads. For the Empusa, according to legend, while first she lusted and fulfilled her lust, then the hunger for flesh, for blood would arise, and she would seek to feed on those who'd slaked her lust. Well, not on MY lads, that's for bloody well sure! And I determined I'd either see her gone from Haven's borders, or the Grandmother's House would see a new trophy for the Trophy Room, perhaps a bronze leg! Perhaps along with that head with the smiling face thinking to tempt my lads to their deaths!

And, to be quite honest, I wasn't all that thrilled about all that 'afterglow' business either. Or maybe you already figured that out? Yes, well, I thought you might have. I just don't have the talent for 'subtle'; none in my family do.

And I set Maude and Marisol to keep watch, all of them together, in the library, the one room I'd always kept warded against intrusion. And I made the journey to the valley in the cliffs, the valley where the shades of the Old Ones of this land once reigned supreme. They rest, mostly, and have blessed Haven more than once, being pleased that there was this spot where the human kind did not try to shatter their remaining fragments into dust. We had, in almost full measure, lived peacefully with each other, those of the Clan, those remaining shades of the Old Ones. Respect, we gave them; never worship, for we had our own ways, but respect for those who once held the land we had settled on and tried our best to tend to its best welfare as well as our own.

To them did I go now, and their help I beseeched in defense of this land, of those who dwelt here; help against a foreign one who sought to take what was not hers to take. (Yes, I asked for help. No, I realize that doesn't sound like me, but look - I'm good, but we're talking a bloody demigoddess here!)

And when my time there was over, I held in my hands a short rod of carved ash and a stone on which strange symbols glowed, and I made my way homewards. And what I promised in return? Nothing, for they asked for nothing, though I had been willing to make fair trade, though cautious so as not to promise what I'd not be able to deliver. But they didn't make any demands, did not strive to strike a bargain for their aid. I think they too were offended at the interloper, at her making herself free in their domain, and perhaps, had just a bit of interest in us.

In fact, I felt the slightest touch of amusement in them, and wondered if watching the goings on at Haven didn't provide them some relief from their daily routine of doing whatever shades did as their daily routine. I have to admit I snorted just a bit as I pictured us at Haven as a version of a BBC serial, broadcast exclusively to that ancient valley for the benefit of those remnants of the prior inhabitants. Hopefully a very long-running serial! I seemed to hear a faint chuckle from behind me and an even fainter, 'very, very long-running, my dear, and with excellent ratings in fact!' echoed from that valley.

I decided not to mention that thought to Peter; having the Empusa overlooking us had been putting him a bit off his stroke - knowing the Old Ones could be watching? Well, better he just not know, don't you agree? And Andrew? He'd start chattering at them, right in the middle, just like he does us, and then he'd be explaining who he was chattering TO, then we're back to Peter and his reaction, so, no, I'd not be saying anything to Andrew either. Peter is, and has always been, just a bit skittish, you know?

Souren:  
I did mention, did I not, that the female is a bitch??! A jealous greedy selfish little bitch! A truly compassionate person would have been willing to share, don't you think, when she had such riches at her fingertips? She could have let me have ONE of them, anyway. Of course, I don't know that I would have been able to restrain myself to having just one of them, or how I would have been able to choose. They were both so delicious. And they were so different, both most capable, both quite energetic, but the taller one was silent, attending to what he was doing with great focus, while the smaller one, he talked, almost constantly. You know, I don't think I've ever had anyone who talked, not like that, at the same time, I mean, with questions and comments and some of the oddest things I had no idea where they were coming from! It almost distracted me from what else he was doing, though it didn't seem to distract him at all.

I thought I might be able to satisfy myself with just that, just their bodies and their energy, but I have to admit, once that was slaked somewhat, the curiousity rose. What would they taste like? When I had trailed my tongue across their skin, it was sweet and salty and the darker one tasted of some odd smoky herb, and the lighter one, something quite different, something crisp and tangy. Now, I wondered, would their blood taste different as well? Their flesh? I promised myself one more slaking of my lust for their bodies, then, I would perhaps allow myself just a sample - one small bite, one small drink from each of them. Surely they wouldn't begrudge me that, not with what I'd given them, now would they?? I could stop there, be satisfied with just that taste. I was a grown Empusa; I had control, surely. Of course, I'd never tried to exercise it before, but I'm sure it was there, somewhere. There was nothing that said I HAD to drain them dry, HAD to devour them totally!

Well, they might not begrudge me, but she obviously did! I did mention that she is a . . . Yes, I thought I had. There they were, both of them, lovely and sleek and bare as the day they were first hatched, eyes perfectly glazed, ready and willing and obviously more than able, and then there SHE was! Standing there like she owned the place. Well, alright, so she did, but really? Such arrogance, facing off against me, a creature of legend. She stood there, then started removing her clothing, and I must admit, I was becoming a little confused. Was she thinking to join in, her, the two warriors, me? Yuck! I did tell you, didn't I, I've never had a taste for females, not in any way. And I certainly didn't intend to share these tasty treats with her; she'd had them to herself long enough; she should just be satisfied with that!

Then, there were two, both in the same body, and then three, and the body changing, taller, definitely bigger, head like a great wolf, body like a mixture of the two, wolf and human. And she, IT, had a rod and a stone, and she, IT, faced me and spoke WORDS at me. No, I'll not repeat them, it makes me shudder to even remember them! And she raised the rod and the stone and commanded me to leave, to take nothing with me that had not come with me, to leave nothing of my own behind, and to my great astonishment, I found myself doing just that, unable to resist her order. And as I went back toward the sky, she cast the rod and stone after me, and a great burst of fire and wind flew toward me and tumbled me so far I had no idea where I ended up, not for many a day.

"Just where the hell IS Tasmania, anyways??! Oh, near Australia. WHERE THE HELL IS AUSTRALIA??!" I also had no idea of how to return to that place, with the two ever so lovely warriors, but I wouldn't have anyway. Not as long as SHE is there, that abomination! That monster! 

Caeide:  
So, things are pretty much back to normal here at Haven. Andrew still watches the clouds, though he is quick to tell me if he spots anything out of the ordinary, or what passes for ordinary in the skies of Haven. Peter has almost gotten that look out of his eye, the one he's had ever since he came to a full realization that he'd been 'cavorting' with a mythological creature - one that intended to eat him - literally - once she'd had her fill otherwise. He's even starting to relax in bed again, though it took a few days. Still, last night, something about the way I trailed my lips and tongue across his stomach, that just seemed to put him right off, for some reason.

Andrew, now, the experience didn't seem to faze him at all. Go figure! Although Peter's comment, one of complete exasperation, was totally unwarranted, if hysterically funny. When he told dear Andrew, in a rather loud voice, "maybe that's because YOU are a mythological creature, Andrew! A cloud-watching, stumbling over everything, never stop chattering mythological creature! I don't know the precise name, but I'm sure there 'as to be one!" Even Andrew was giggling, especially when Peter stormed off, still preaching, and promptly fell over that empty milk bucket. Of course, I did find them both naked in the orchard this afternoon, but the totally unabashed grins those two shared when I found them, and them pulling me down into the sweet grass along with them, well, that's just part of Haven being back to normal, you know. And their clothes were right there with them. I pay attention to things like that now. Along with those ever so faint deep chuckles I hear sometimes, letting me know our odds for a 'long run' are still good.


End file.
